


A Bad First Impression

by sailorkittycat



Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Meeting the Parents, Romance, bad impression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 21:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8684608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorkittycat/pseuds/sailorkittycat
Summary: When Evie realises that Tom’s mum doesn’t like her one bit and tries to confront him about it, it has some terrible repercussions





	

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the prompt 'can you write something about a girl meeting Tom's parents or mom for the first time, but Tom's mom doesn't have a good impression of this girl, so she treats her really awful, so the girls talks to Tom about this, but he thinks she's exaggerating things, so that's why our girl questions her relationship with Tom, something angsty and fluffy?'

A shirt, fairisle jumper and a skirt, that was acceptable right? Granted, the jumper had been in Evie’s possession for nearly ten years and the skirt was leather (well, fake leather) but it was the best she could manage in such a small period of time. Tom had casually mentioned a couple of days ago that his mum was coming up to London to visit and it ‘might be nice if you two could meet’ because ‘we’ve been dating for a year and she’s so anxious to meet you.’ He’d given her his best puppy dog eyes and despite the fact that Evie was surrounded by the very same look everyday from actual puppies she still couldn’t resist. So here she was, walking through Fortnum and Mason to have afternoon tea with Tom and his mum.

Whenever Tom talked about his family he always painted rosy pictures of family holidays in Canada or recalled memories of fish and chips on the beach and Evie would listen intently. She tried to remind herself of that, so to calm her nervous heart. She can’t be horrible or anything? Can she? She felt a little more confident when she and Tom exchanged eye contact and he stood up with a bright smile on his face to greet her.

His lips grazed her cheek and she did her best to smile at the woman next to him who looked a little apprehensively at her.

“Mum, this is Evie” Tom introduced “Evie, this is my mum.”

“It’s so lovely to meet you, Mrs Hiddleston” Evie said, offering her hand to shake. That’s the correct way to introduce oneself, right?

“Please, call me Diana, I haven’t been Mrs Hiddleston in years” Diana said, gingerly shaking her hand and Evie wondered if a look of distaste passed over her boyfriend’s mother’s face or if it had just been her imagination. She brushed it off and sat on Tom’s left, appreciating the comfort his hand provides as it rests on her knee. A rustle of menus alerted Evie to look at her own ‘Who knew there were so many types of tea?’ The menu listed exotic names like Amba Uva all the way down to more familiar varieties like Camomile. ‘Oh God, I have to pick one.’ In a state of inward panic, Evie didn’t hear what Diana had ordered but Tom’s voice rang through her anxiety as he said “Earl Grey Classic”. That sounded good enough for her so she shyly said “I’ll have the same” earning her a nod from the waiter and a gentle squeeze from Tom. It wasn’t like Evie to be particularly nervous unless something big was at stake. She was generally an easy going individual; a little eccentric at times as demonstrated by her lavender coloured hair but it was that exact whimsical quality of Phoebe’s personality that Tom loved so much.

“How are rehearsals?” Diana asked her son; Tom was currently in Coriolanus and Evie knew how dedicated he was to his role.

“Oh it’s fantastic…” Tom said and just like that he was off. He excitedly told his mother about the other members of his cast and the funny incidents that had happened since the start of rehearsals. A mummy’s boy, eh? They continued to talk until the tea arrived. Besides the odd smile and laugh, Evie didn’t say much. Diana doesn’t notice but Tom does, he’s used to her funny comments. He shifted the conversation over to his girlfriend, sensing her timidity.

“Evie’s the real star though; she gets to work in an animal shelter” Tom’s praise always made her smile, no matter how grumpy or upset she was.

“It’s so rewarding to watch animals go from malnourished and scared to happy and healthy” she said and she meant it. She was completely emotionally involved with her work. Tom would often hear about the level of abuse some of the animals would face and he’d watch as it broke her heart. Sometimes he’d voice his concern over the matter “If it makes you so upset, maybe you shouldn’t work there’ but she was perseverant if anything else, “I can’t do that. I have to make sure they get better.”

“Yes, I’m sure it is” Diana said dismissively “I’ve never been one for animals…”

“I’ll say” Tom said “you never let us get a dog when we were younger.”

“Dogs are filthy” Diana said, her face was in a state of disgust “I wouldn’t have one running about our house.”

“Dogs are a lot of work” Evie added with a weak smile “my mum never let us have one either.” Evie would beg her mother for a pet but it was always a no. The small, cramped apartment housed Evie, her mother and her younger brother; a dog would have been disastrous. The siblings shared a room which was always a struggle despite the fact they didn’t own much. It had been a complete shock when Evie moved out to university to study animal management. The space, the freedom, the quiet. It had been a relief but it wasn’t without it’s bouts of homesickness.

“Where are your family from?” Diana asked, turning the conversation to Evie and her background.

“Surrey, but I was born in London and I’ve always lived here.”

“What kind of work are your parents involved in?” Diana’s questions felt more like an interrogation and Evie started to struggle to feel confident under the older woman’s stare.

“My mother is a GP.”

“And your father?”

Evie squirmed a little “I don’t know. He left when I was very young.” Evie didn’t have many clear memories of the man who was supposedly her father; most of what she knew was from her mum who would tell her that he was a guy she met when she was at university and that it wouldn’t have worked out. “We were too young and stupid to have really had a meaningful relationship.’ It had struck a chord within Evie and made her very careful in relationships. She never wanted to rush things and most of the time she wasn’t in any meaningful relationships. There had been a grand total of one before but he had wanted to get married and Evie really wasn’t ready for that. Now however, with Tom, she was more open to the idea. Maybe not now, but one day…

“What a shame” Diana said, sipping her tea “I’m sure he would love your hair.”

Evie laughed nervously, twisting a strand of her lavender with her fingers “it’s not your average colour.” It had been candyfloss pink when she met Tom but she had made the change to purple not too long ago.

“And your jumper is obviously well loved” Is she picking on my hair and my clothes?

“It’s was an old Christmas present from my Gran” Evie said, doing her best to defend her choices without sounding rude. After all, she could just be over thinking; Tom’s mother couldn’t actually be criticising her, could she?

“Your whole ensemble is… quaint.”

“I usually wear jeans and a t-shirt during the week” Evie explained “it wouldn’t be practical to wear nice things when you’re cleaning out kennels and grooming long haired cats. I don’t get to own that many nice things.”

“You always look nice though” Tom said, pressing a kiss onto the back of her hand.

“Nice is one way of putting it” his mother said, sipping at her freshly replenished cup of tea. The way she said it didn’t arouse any suspicion from Tom that his mother was bullying his girlfriend but Evie felt like she was getting slapped across the face every time Diana opened her mouth. She doesn’t like me at all…

Afternoon tea finally drew to a close after Diana announced that she was going to go meet Emma (Tom’s sister) for a spot of shopping and Evie was beyond relieved. Diana’s goodbye to Evie had been curt and impersonal. As if she was nothing instead of her son’s girlfriend. The rejection confirmed to Evie that she wasn’t worthy in Diana’s eyes and if that was the case then was she even worthy of Tom?

The revelation worried her throughout the journey home and she decided to confront Tom about it as they were stuck in city traffic.

“I don’t think your mother likes me” it came out as a very matter of fact statement but Evie didn’t know how to approach the topic lightly; might as well just say it.

“What do you mean? She loved you.”

“No, I’m pretty sure she didn’t” Evie insisted “I don’t think she thinks I’m right for you.”

“That’s ridiculous” his tone had taken a hint of an edge “she didn’t say anything against you.”

“It’s not what she said; it’s how she said it.”

“There was no particular way she said it.”

“Yes there was” Evie urged “she said it like she was looking down on me or something.”

“I understand what’s happening” Tom said, he sounded ever so slightly condescending “you’ve been so worried about this meeting that you’ve been imagining ludicrous things like my mum being mean to you.”

“Tom! That’s not what’s happening here, she just genuinely does not like me!”

“You’re exaggerating and over reacting!”

“You’re such a mama’s boy!” Evie shouted “you’d probably take her side even if she killed someone!”

“You’re crazy!” Tom shouted back, his hands had tightened on the steering wheel so much so that his knuckles were starting to look as though the bones would break through the skin “Go home, calm down and talk to me when you’re feeling like a rational adult!”

“No, I think instead I’ll never call you again!” The words had flown out of her mouth in a fit of rage and they couldn’t be un-said.

“Do you even know what you’re saying?” Tom’s voice had declined from shouting had instead become dark and angry.

“It means I’m breaking up with you.”

***

As with most breakups, Evie found herself wrapped in her duvet in an old pair of pjs with some terribly acted romantic film playing on her laptop. Her eyes were rimmed with red and puffy. They were so raw from tears that it burned to blink.

The phone was kept close to her even though she didn’t know if she’d answer it or not. Tom hadn’t called yet. He’s busy. He’s busy and he doesn’t care about you anymore, especially as you insulted his mother. Real smooth Evie. Insult the man’s mother and expect him to love you. Ah, except we hadn’t even gotten to the ‘I love you’ stage yet.

It had been there on the tip of her tongue. Those three, stupid, wonderful words. Would it have been too early to say it? Is it too late to say it?

***

Tom was distracted during training at the theatre. He found it difficult to concentrate and as a result his co workers began to notice.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Maybe you should take five?”

It wasn’t until someone said “Do you want someone to call Evie?” A small part of Tom knew that they were just trying to be kind and that if he was feeling ill Evie would be the first person he’d call but it just made him snap.

“I’m taking a lunch break” he growled, leaving the scene without a backwards glance. He was all set to go back to his dressing room to grab a few things but someone stopped him.

“You know, you’re taking this role a little too seriously Caius” his sister, Emma, teases.

“What are you doing here?” He feels some of his anger melt away and pulls her in for a hug.

“I heard about mum meeting Evie” Emma pulled a face “I know that feeling.”

“What feeling?”

“You know” she pokes her brother “the one where mum makes fun of the person you love and you’re all conflicted and stuff.”

They continue their chat in a cafe nearby.

“Mum wasn’t being mean or anything” Tom said but Emma just shook her head.

“It’s not what she says; it’s how she says it.” Emma informed, spooning up the froth from her coffee.

“It’s not what she said; it’s how she said it.” Evie’s words echo in his head and he starts to realise the monumental mistake he’s made.

“No” Tom shakes his head “mum’s not like that”

“God, Tom” Emma groans with a roll of her eyes that he’s more than accustomed to “you’re such a mummy’s boy and I’m sorry to drop that on you but mum is a wee bit snobby.”

“But-“

“No, Tom. You should have seen the way she treated Richard when they first met. She practically slaughtered him; I’m surprised he’s still with me. Evie is a saint for sticking with you.”

“She didn’t.”

“What?”

“She didn’t” Tom repeated and groaned burying his head in his hands “She’s gone and it’s all my fault.”

“Tell me what happened” Emma said, laying a hand on her brother’s arm. She listens as he tells her about the fight in the car and Evie telling him that it was over. I am quite possibly the biggest idiot alive.

“Props to her for calling you a mama’s boy” Emma said.

“Oh God, I am aren’t I?” It was a painfully rude awakening and felt akin to getting into an icy cold shower; he shudders. What do I do? I just lost the person I love.

***

There was a moment when she was sitting at home where she felt the true extent of her loneliness. It was cold sitting here on the sofa by herself. She craved touch, warmth, Tom. He hadn’t called. He hadn’t texted either. She was trying her best to distract herself by watching… whatever it was on TV but clearly it was useless. Ugh, I need to get a new TV it keeps making some weird sounds… That can’t be good.

It took Evie the entirety of five minutes to realise that the timely bangs weren’t coming from her television. It sounded too loud, too real. It was coming from the window? She drew back the curtains to see something small hitting the window. Were those pebbles?

“Hello?” She opened the window just as another pebble bounced off of the glass.

“Evie!”

“Tom?” his name made her mouth feel dry and she needed to take a second before shouting something else “what are you doing?”

“I’m trying to apologise!” he shouted back “I was an idiot.”

Evie considered his words “do you want to come in?”


End file.
